Chapter 9

Bella had invited me to her movie night... thing.

She had asked a whole group to go, but apparently all her friends bailed except for Mike Newton, and she definitely did not want to go on a date with the poor boy. From the stories she told me, Mike was definitely smitten with our Bella, but it sounded like when she came to the school all the boys saw her as fresh meat. Which, to be fair for them, when they're in a small school with girls they've probably grew up with, I could see it from there point of view.

Though it didn't make that any less awkward, or gross.

Jacob Black was coming, which made things a little easier, and I had decided to invite Paul - as a sort of date kind of situation. He took that invitation quickly. Plus, he didn't make me seem like some sort of babysitter for the teenagers when we got there.

"Why Crosshairs?" I asked, scrunching my nose as we sat at the dinner table. We were eating the spaghetti she had made earlier, before dad had been called into work for some sort of break-in. For a small town there was a lot of mis-demeanors. "There are so many better movies to watch." I had heard Crosshairs only got three stars on yelp, and scrolling through the reviews... it seemed like an interesting movie.

Bella shrugged as she twirled some noodles onto her fork. "I don't know. It looked interesting, and I thought I'd give it a go. Try something new, you know?" She shrugs again, though she doesn't seem to be that excited.

Although that was just Bella. Bella didn't show emotions as well as everyone else did, something she had gotten from our father. I had more moms personality, which seemed to balance the family out.

"Yeah, but there's so many movies playing. You could have chosen Penelope, or High School Musical. But you chose Crosshairs?" I scrunched my nose again in distaste at the choice. This usually wasn't her style, but she had said she wanted to try something new.

Laughing, she gives me an amused look. "You don't have to come, you know," she teases, though the look on her face told me something different. She didn't want to be there with just Jacob and Mike, though I could understand. Both boys had crushes on her, and I had a feeling Jacob would try to square up with Mike.

Though I wasn't sure if Bella knew that, being oblivious to anything romantic.

"You want me to come though," I nodded, and she sighed in defeat. "Don't worry, I asked Paul to come with us. He eagerly agreed," I laughed at the memory.

"Paul, huh?" She grins at me. "Sounds like it's going well." Though I saw the dullness in her eyes. She still missed Edward, which I could understand. You don't get over someone like that quickly.

Flushing, I shoot her a look. "It's going well. I like him a lot, and he treats me good. I enjoy being around him. He even let me hang out with Riley the other day, without complaining... much..." He had complained a little bit, but when I told him it was just as friends and I'd be coming over to La Push right after he immediately said it was alright. We had hung out the rest of the day after Riley dropped me off at the house.

"Riley, right." Bella nodded her head, narrowing her eyes at me. "I thought you weren't going to do anything about him?" She counters and I roll my eyes.

"It was just a hang out. He needed a friend, besides he has a crush on someone else anyway. He's nice, and I enjoyed hanging out with him." He's cute as well, and if I didn't already have Paul I might have thought about it.

Bella's mouth fell open at that. "Well then, I guess it worked out." She chuckles in disbelief. "Whose the girl?" She was curious, making me smirk. Bella was definitely coming back, and I was relieved. This was the Bella I knew before she dated Edward.

"Her names Crystal, though I didn't recognize her. She works at the La Rosa's cafe in town, that's where he took me." I explained and she nodded her head, her eyes lighting up with recognition at the name.

"Oh! They have good desserts!" She grins at me, nodding her head. "I bought one of her baking books she has on display. Though I need to try some of those recipes..." She trails off in thought.

My eyes lit up at that information. I had thought about getting one, but didn't. "We'll definitely need to try her cheesecake recipe. That was the best thing they had!" My mouth instantly watered at the thought of cheesecake.

Getting up from her spot, she walks over to the cabinets - opening it to where a bunch of different cookbooks were. Why dad had so many I didn't know, it wasn't like he used them. She reached for a pink one, walking back towards me and turned it around to where it said La Rosa's Bakery by Rosa Diaz. "We can make something from it sometime, I'm dying to try her coffee cake recipe!" She grins at me, flipping through the pages.

That also sounded delicious. With vanilla icing... I was getting hungry again, even after I had a healthy helping of spaghetti.

A car honk got my attention, making my head snap up. Paul was picking me up early so we could hang out before disaster struck.

"That's Paul. I'll see you later, okay?" I asked her, hugging her briefly from the side. She hugs me back, giving me a timid smile as I walk out of the house. Paul was leaning against his truck, a cocky smirk on his face as I walk over to him - leaning up to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Hey you," I wrapped my arm around his shoulders as he wraps an arm around my waist.

"I missed you..." He mumbles, giving me another kiss and making me giggle. Even though we see each other practically every day now, it was hard being away from him. That pull was always there, almost like a magnet wanting to be with it's other half. Sam had said that was the imprint bond, making us want to be with each other twenty four seven.

I didn't mind it. I loved hanging out with Paul, and he made me feel whole. It was like being put back together, even though I wasn't broken. I had felt like I was missing something.

"So who's all going to be there?" Paul asked as we parked outside of the theater we were meeting at. I was cuddled into his side, waiting for the gang to get there. We had just hung out around town, talking about literally anything that came to mind.

Humming, I glanced up at him as he played with a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger. "Jacob Black and Mike Newton. Bella had gathered more kids, but some of them had gotten sick, or had to bail out for personal reasons." I shrugged. "She didn't want to be here by herself with the two and invited me last minute, so I invited you so I wouldn't be a chaperone..." I trailed off with a chuckle.

"Jacob Black, huh?" He hums, kissing the top of my head. "That might be an issue." He sighs, frowning.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I give him a confused look. "Why?" I asked him, tilting my head to the side.

With a low chuckle, he just looks amused for a moment. "His little buddies don't like us very well. Black blames us for Embry not hanging out with them anymore, which is a little true. Mostly Sam's fault, but he lumps us all together." He shrugs nonchalantly. "Which is fair, but stupid." He grumbles as he continues to play with my hair.

Rolling my eyes, I give him a peck on the lips - instantly making him light up. "He'll get over it." I promise him, making him chuckle at that.

"Oh he'll have to," he answers, making me raise an eyebrow. I was about to ask why but turn when I hear Bella's truck pulling into the theater's parking lot. In the passenger side was Jacob, talking animately to Bella about something - who was nodding along, though I had a feeling she wasn't really listening to what the poor boy was saying.

Another car pulled into the lot; a blond haired boy sitting in the drivers seat. I had a feeling that was Mike, though he did look familiar. I knew I had seen him somewhere before.

"I'll ask why later," I supplied to Paul, who nodded his head. It would be too dangerous to ask now with everyone around.

"Laney!" Jacob's booming voice greeted me, making me laugh as he gives me a warm hug. "You should visit more often." He teased me, grinning down at me.

"I do miss Billy..." I said thoughtfully, laughing when he shoves me playfully. "Alright, alright! I miss you too!" I conceded, ignoring the little growl Paul did beside me. "This is Paul Lahote, you know him right?" I asked, gesturing towards my boyfriend who nodded towards Jacob.

Jacob's eyes hardened a little bit before he nodded back in acknowledgment. "Yeah we know each other." But he didn't say anything else to that, making me furrow my eyes as I glanced over at Paul, who just looked amused. I'd never seen Jacob act that way before. Usually he was a happy go-lucky kid.

"Elaine Swan?" A new voice questioned, causing me to turn towards the voice. The blond who had come in was looking at me, grinning before he frowned. "You don't remember me, do you?" He whined and I just chuckled at that.

"Sorry..." I trailed off with a shrug, earning snickering from Jacob who was standing beside Bella - who was looking more and more awkward.

"We used to play together as kids. I'm Mike Newton! Well, you might remember my mom, Joan." He explains and that name I do remember.

"Oh! Little Michael!" I gasped, instantly remembering, causing Mike to instantly flush at that name. "I had thought you looked familiar!" I snapped my fingers, grinning. It was hard not to know people in this town, considering how small it was.

Bella looked between us, baffled before clearing her throat. "Okay, lets go inside." Chuckling I followed after Bella, pulling Paul behind me as we walked into the theater.

The movie sucked. Though I knew it would, considering the reviews and the summary for the entire film. Jacob and Mike competed for Bella's attention, though I could have seen that happening a mile away.

"Watching them try to get Bella's attention is more interesting than the film," I murmured to Paul, who just chuckled beside me in amusement. They'd be lucky to try and date a goldfish, though I wasn't going to be the ones to tell that to them.

"This is an interesting film for Bella to choose though," he hums as he plays with m hair, not really paying attention to the movie itself. Not that I was either, I had lost interest by the fifth person who got killed for no reason.

Shrugging, I snuggled into his side some more. "She said she wanted to try something new," I supplied, laughing. "This is definitely new for her."

"We should go on another movie date. Just the two of us," he murmurs into my ear, tickling it and sending me shivering. I could feel him smirk against my ear at the sensation he gave me.

"I'd like that," I nodded, giving him a beaming smile. He grins down at me, leaning in to kiss me. Before anything else could be said Mike had gotten up abruptly, making a beeline out of the room.

Jacob chuckled, giving Bella a smirk. "You should hold out for someone who has a better stomach," he boasted, and I rolled my eyes at that.

Bella gives me a awkward look, chuckling as well - though there wasn't any humor in it. "I'll keep that in mind," she compromises, standing up to go check on Mike. Jacob gets up after her, leaving Paul and I alone in the theater.

"Well that was awkward..." I trail off, watching the two walk away.

Paul shrugged, smirking. "I thought it was fun," he grins, laughing when I slap him lightly on the shoulder. We both get up and follow after Jacob and my sister, who were standing outside of the bathroom waiting for Mike.

"What a pansy!" Jacob laughed. Bella nudged him, though she had an amused look on her face as well at the way Jacob was acting.

Mike emerged from the bathroom minutes later, looking worse for ware. Paul pushed me behind him, not wanting me to get close so I didn't get sick. "I think I caught the stomach flu. I'm going to have to leave." He gives Bella a sorrowful look, who just shrugs, unbothered.

"Sorry Mike. Hope you feel better soon!" I call after him from behind Paul, who was chuckling at the display. "We should probably go too," I gesture towards Paul and I, who smirks down at me.

Bella sighs, giving Jacob a side-ways look. "I gotta get this guy home. You two have fun though!" She smirks at me, making me roll my eyes as I tug Paul away from the two awkward beans.

"I'm so glad you got me to come out here," Paul snickers as we make our way towards Emily's. I laughed, slapping him on the chest before cuddling up to his side, but I can't help but feel after tonight things were about to change.

Once again. And I wasn't sure if this change would be for the better or not.